Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-08-05
Gave Herself

hoous Aofty years ago TWO sister
married at the same tiue. The eide,
whom we shall call Anna. became tn
wife OF man Of wealth. and, whe
she married. she adopted a calm reso
luton to use the opportunities
that wealth gave to do good in tn
world.
She died year or two ago. She ha,
been prominent member OF tn,
church and OF society. She was liberia
with her gifts to all charities; .tt
give" she was accustomed to say,
''sweetened the moral nature" MOI
was she ostentatious in her giving, fol
she remembered the njunction.-"Bt
not as the hypocritcs are" Only she
never gave TO the extent of making a
serious sacrifice.
She was a constant church-goer. She
read nj n certain time each day chap
ter of the bible, and never failed ia
conduct family worship. On Sunday
afternoon she took apart each of her
children in turn, read and prayed with
them. The prayer was very much tho
same each Sunday, and il never
brought a tear to her eyes or to theirs
TO be perfect in every good word and
work. was. she frequently stated her
object in life
She was woman of great beauty
and sound health. and was extremely
careful TO preserve both of these good
gifts. She walked, worked, ate and
slept by rule. She would not allow
her children to wear bright colors. lest
they might affect her ewes. For tho
same reason she never permitted her.
self TO weep. Indeed, she avoided
the sight of pan or suffering. as grief.
she said, disturbed the igestive organs.
She fulfilled all OF her duties in the let.
ter. but not one of them in the spirit.
When she died. it was found that
she had made every arrangement for a
coffin and monument. The
only comment made upon her was.
= She was remarkably well-preserved
woman" and then she was dismissed.
and forgotten, even by her children.
Her sister Jane was of different
temperament She was plain, awk-
ward woman. who had so little cause
to be pleased with her person that
very early in fe she forgot it alto
gether. She married poor farmer,
was mother of a large family of
boys. and adopted, besides. two or
phans, children of friends still poorer
than her husband.
She worked early and late sewing
cleaning, nursing. Now it was her
husband for whom she toiled, now the
now a neighbor. now some
poor creature whom nobody else cared
10 help.
She had her flashes of temper, she
made mistakes; she was full of faults;
)ut she brought them with bitter tears
o her Master and struggled on.
While her sister was youthful and pla-
id and Smiling, shewas wrinkled and
Did, her hands hard with labor Some
hing of herself-of her thought, her
Ugh hopes, her warm love, her strength
she gave to all who came near her.
1t was no wonder that she showed |
low heavy the drain had been upon
Ter; but husband and children and |
riends loved her tcnderly in spite of |
Ter faults. The hard, rough hands
hat had worked so faithfully in their
ervice were the fairest on earth to
hem. More than all. she led her
one after another. to the
savior, who was so real and near to
Ter.
When, at last she lay down, silent
nd still. waiting until God should
ummon her TO work elsewhere, there
vas not man or woman who had
nown her who did not feel that a
riend and helper had gone out of the
world.
If we would serve God or our brother
We must put something of ourselves in
the sacrifice. 1t is the hearts blood
hat must be laid on the alter. no
merely orderly habits or pleasant
words. If We give all our goods tc
eed the poor and our bodies to be
urned and have not that self-sacrifc-
lg love, it profiteth us nothing
'outh's Companion.
Bound To Be In Fashion.